Media Announcements

Catalyst Acquires Women On Board® Canada

NEW YORK (July 17, 2013)—Catalyst is pleased to announce the acquisition of Women On Board® Canada, a highly successful mentoring program that promotes the appointment of women to corporate boards. Women On Board® joins Catalyst’s expanding portfolio of services and research that document challenges and provide solutions to advance gender diversity in the boardroom. Women On Board’s® mentoring program, which develops the pipeline of women directors by pairing high-potential women with corporate board members, boasts significant success: 32 percent of Women on Board® alumnae have been appointed to for-profit boards.

Catalyst’s board-related initiatives include:

Catalyst Research Center for Equity in Business Leadership (an endowed research center).

Catalyst Accord (inspiring FP500 companies to commit to representational targets for women on their boards).

“Advancing women to boardrooms is a critical focus for Catalyst in Canada and globally, and we welcome the exceptional expertise that Women On Board® brings to Catalyst’s board-related services,” said Deborah Gillis, Chief Operating Officer, Catalyst. “With companies now looking to take action and diversify their boards with talented women leaders, Catalyst can provide an array of research and solution-based services that provide, in effect, a one-stop resource to help companies increase the representation of women at boardroom tables.”

“Since its inception in 2007, Women On Board® has introduced more women into the boardrooms of corporate Canada,” said Patrick O’ Callaghan, Women On Board® Co-Founder, and Managing Partner of Patrick O'Callaghan & Associates. "We are a long-time supporter of Catalyst and now, as an integral part of Catalyst, Women On Board® will have an impact on boardroom diversity not just in corporate Canada, but also in boardrooms of corporations around the world."

ABOUT CATALYST
Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit membership organization expanding opportunities for women and business. With offices in the United States, Canada, Europe, and India, and more than 600 members, Catalyst is the trusted resource for research, information, and advice about women at work. Catalyst annually honors exemplary organizational initiatives that promote women's advancement with the Catalyst Award.